Corset.



1. LEOPOLD L IVI. BEBERFELD.

CORSET.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. Il. )915.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

A TTOR/VE V 'TULIUS LEOPOLD AND MORRIS BEBERFELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CORSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @et 31, 1916.

Application led August 11, 1915. Serial No. 44,937.

To all whom t may concern. Be it known that we, J ULIUs LEOPOLD andMORRIS BEBERFELD, a citizen of the United States and a subject of theCzar of Russia, respectively, and both residents of New York, county andState of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inCorsets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

This invention relates to a class of apparel adapted to be worn bywomen.

Our invention has for its object primarily to provide a corset designedto be worn by v women whereby the rotundty of an enlarged abdomen willbe' greatly reduced in a manner so that the pressure thereon will beequalized in order to avoid all tendency to cause excessive strain onparts of the abdomen as is incident to many other forms of corsets, andwhich is constructed so that the abdomen of the wearery willbe-comfortably supported as well as tending to yield sufliciently togive the organs of this part of the body proper freedom of movement.Moreover, this form of corset may be advantageously employed to supportthe abdomen of women following surgical operations on the abdomen,thereby permitting the usual abdominal bandages to be dispensed with.This is accomplished mainly by providing a corset having a body composedof two halves with two front claspstays for permitting the corset to beremovably applied on the wearer in the usual man ner. In the abdominalportion of each half of the body is an elastic reducing element, or gorecomposed of two sections, the sections of both reducing elements beinglaced together so that these elements may be adjusted to conformaccurately to 'the shape of the abdomen of the wearer as Well aspermitting the rotundity of the abdomen to be greatly reduced withoutdiscomfiture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retaining element foryieldingly limiting the elastic movements of the reducing elements aswell as serving to comfortably support the abdomen of the wearer; and afurther object of the invention'is to provide a corset of a simple,efficient, and durable construction, and which is susceptible of beingmade in all sizes and in any desired style. Y ,A

A practical embodiment ofthe invention is represented in theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specication in directionsfrom the body of the corset. Fig.

2 is a front elevation of the corset showing the flaps of the retainingelement in position when the corset is in use, and Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

The corset has a body 10 which may be made in any desired style with ahigh, or low bust, and with long, or short hips. In the drawing the body10 is illustrated in a prevailing type composed of two similar halves,as 11 and 12, having two detachably connected cooperating clasp-stays 13and 14, the lower ends of which are preferably fastened together by awell-known form of hook and eye clasp, as 15, and at spaced intervals ineach half of the body may be provided a suitable number of verticallydisposed reinforcing steel stays 1G and 17 as commonlyT used in thegeneral makes of corsets. Each of the halves of the body of the corsethere shown also has a skirt 18 which is an extension of the outercovering of the half as provided in some styles of corsets to lit overthe hips of the wearer, though it is to be understood that theprinciples of our invention are not confined to any particular design ofbody.

In the halves of the body of the corset transversely between theclasp-stays 13, 11 and the steel stays 16, 17 are reducing elements, orgores 19 and 20 which are preferably similar in formation. Both of thesereducing elements maybe made of elastic webbing, or other material so asto yield sufficiently when subjected to pressure, and the central partsof both of the elements are vertically slitted to provide two members21, 21a and 22, 22a, respectively, the opposed ends of each pair of theelastic members be- -ing eyeleted for permitting the 'members to "braeethe abdomen of the wearer, and the lengths of the members of theelements are .somewhat less than the spaces between the escaneoclasp-stays 13, 14 and the steel stays 16, 17

so as to tend to contract Athe front space of the body of the corsetbetween the hips when the members of the reducing element areaccordingly laced. The rotundity of the abdomen will thereby beproportionately reduced, and by properly lacing` the members of thereducing elements they may be adjuSted to conform accurately to theshape of the abdomen of the wearer without causing discomiture.

In practice the corset is applied to the wearer by guiding its body 10around the waist of the wearer yin the usual manner after theclasp-stays 13 and 14 have been detached, and following the properpositioning of the corset the clasp-stays are refastenednhould theresilient reducing elements 19 and 20 not be sufficiently taut to reducethe rotundity of the abdomen to a desired size the laces 23 and 24 aretight-r enedin a manner to direct the eyeleted edges of the members ofthe reducing elements partly, or entirely together so that the ele-fments will conform to the shape of the abdomen as well as reducing it insize. Moreover, by providing the resilient reducing elements in theseforms the underneath part of the abdomen of the wearer will be properlysupported, and the resiliency of the elements will permit suflicientyielding action to afford perfect ycomfort to the wearer. While we haveshown and described a form of our corset having two of the resilientreducing elements 19 and 2O forms of the corset may be made whereinthese reducing elements are dispensed with as occasion re quires. f

To yieldingly limit the elastic action of the reducing elements 19 and2O as well as serving to comfortably support the abdomen of the wearer,aL retaining element k25 is pro-ly vided. rlhe retaining element 25 iscomposed of two flaps 26 and 27y made of cloth,

or other flexible material, and both of the flaps are preferably similarin size and shape. Each of the flaps 26 has a body part 28, the oppositeends of these parts being* securedy to the halves of theV body of thecor` set adjacent to the steel stays 16 and 17 so as to be swung acrossthe reducing elements 19 and 20, and these parts of the ilaps arepreferably the same widths as the reducing elements while the lower edgeof each body` part is formed on a downward incline, as f shown, so as toaccurately conform with the shape of the abdomen when in use. Projectingfrom the upper portion of the free end of the body part of each of theiaps 26 and 27 is an integral extension or tongue 29 of considerablyless width than the body part, and these tongues extend toward eachother so as to be disposed in overlappin arrangement when in use, asshown in ig.

2, as well as being of lengths so that their ends will slightly overlapthe steel stays `opening I31 for passage of the tongue of the flap 26,and on the body part of the flap 27 is a substantially rectangular plate32 having` an opening of the same size and in register with the opening3l of this flap, this apertured plate serving to stiften the body of thelap'2 against sagging downwardly when the flaps of the retaining elementare in overlapping arrangement. When the corset has been applied on thewearer, and the reducing elements 19 and 20 have been suitf ablyadjusted by manipulating the laces 23 and 24 to yieldingly drawtogether, or to loosen the members of these elements as desired, kthetongue 29 of the ilap 26 is disposed through the opening 31 of the flapy2,7 so that this tongue will overlap the flap 27.' Thetongues 29arethen detachably con nected to the halves ofthe body of the corset bytwo sets of complemental fastening f devices 33 and 34. Each set of thefastening devices 33 and 34 consists of twol pairs of spaced eyes 35 and36. one pair being provided onv the steel stay 16 of the half 11 of thebody of the corset while the second pair of the hooks are arranged onthe steel stay 17 of the half 12 of the body of the corset. Un theopposed surface of the tongue 29 of the flap 26 are two spaced pairs ofspaced hooks 37 and 38 one pair of which are inserted in the pair ofeyes 36 to removably hold the flap 26 to the half 11 of thebody of thecorset, and on a similar surface of the tongue of the flap 27 arealsotwo spaced pairs of spaced hooks 39 and l40 one pair of which areinserted in the pair of eyes 36 to de ytach-ably fasteny the flap 27 tothe half 12 of the body yof kthe corset. The elastic movements of thereducing elements 19 and 20 willy then be yieldingly limited, and theabdomen of the wearer will also be comfortably supported. f

lnorder to permit front garters to be1 used in conjunction 'with thecorset, to the clasp-stay 13 is fastened one end of the loopstrap, as42, having its other end secured to the lower edge of the body of theflap 26 of the retaining element, and to the claspstay 14 is fastenedone end of another loopstrap 43 which has its other end held to thelower edge of the body of the lap 27 of the retaining element. Thus byproviding this abdomen may be greatly reduced so that the pressurethereon will be equalized to avoid f alltendency to cause undue strainon the parts of the abdomen as well as serving to give the organs ofthis part of the Ibody of the wearer proper freedom of movement.Furthermore, this form of corset may ,be advantageously worn by womenfollowing surgical operations on the abdomen instead of employing theordinarv forms of abdominal bandages.

In the foregoing description, we have embodied the preferred form of ourinvention, but we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselvesthereto, as we are aware that modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis IIVGDOBLthQILeOrewe reserve to ourselves the right to make suchchanges as fairly fall within the scope thereof.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent l. A corset with a body composed of two adjustably connected halves each with a yielding abdominal portion, `twoflexible flap members each with one of-its ends held to the hip part ofeach half of the body so as to be'disposed across the abdominal portionsof the halves, and one of the flap members having an opening for passageof the other flap member, an elastic gore inr each flap member so thatthe members may be yieldingly expanded and contracted, and complementalfastening devices on the halves of the body and on the flap memberswhereby the other end of each Hap member may be adjustably connected tothe hip part of the opposite' member of the' corset to hold the flapmembers tightly7 or comparatively loose across the abdominal` portions.

2. A corset with a body composed" of two adjustably connected halveseach with an elastic gore, two Hap members each with one of its endsheld to the hip part of each half of the body so as to be disposed inoverlapping arrangement across the halves of lthe body, an elastic gorein each flap member` so that the .members may yieldingly expand andcontract, an apertured plate in one of the Hap members for passage ofthe other flap member, and means whereby the other end of each flapmember may be adjustably connected to the opposite half of the body todetachably hold the flap members tightly or comparatively loose acrossthe abdominal portions.

3. In a corset with a body composed of two adjustably connectedhalves,two flexible flap members each with a body part having one endsecured to the hip part of each half of the body so as to be disposedacross the abdominal portion of the halves of the body of the corset,and both of the body parts of the flap members being of widths andlengths to embrace the abdominal portion of the corset in overlappingarrangement, an integral tongue extending from the other ends of thebody parts of the flap members,- and each tongue being of less widththan saith body flap members each with a body-part having one endsecured to the hip part of each half of the body so as to be disposedacross the abdominaly portion of the halves of the body of the 'corsetand both ofthe body partsfof the flap members being of widths andlengths to embrace the abdominal portion .of the corset in overlappingarrangement, an inte.

gral tongue extending from the other ends of the body parts of the liapmembers', land each tongue being'of less width than saidl body parts, anelastic gore in each of the tongues, and the body part of one of the Hapmembers having an openingnsurrounded with an aperturedstiiiening platefor. pas-- sage of the tongue of the other flap member to preventsagging of the fla members, means whereby the tongue of eac flap membermay be adjustably connected to the hip v part of the opposite half ofthe body of the corset, and loops depending from the lower edges of thehalves of the bod from the lower edges of the for the purpose speciedlThis specification signed and witnessed this tenth day of August A. D.1915.'

JULIUS LEOPOLD.- MORRIS'BEBERFELD l as well as ap members Witnesses:

Ron'r. B. ABBOTT, M. DnnMoDY.

